


“I wonder how we’ll fit into the History of Magic” - A Hogwarts AU

by JenTheAmberFox



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gryffindor Alex, Kind of Retelling - but in Hogwarts, M/M, Pureblood Politics (Harry Potter), Still idiots those two - but with magic, hufflepuff henry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:55:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29718195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenTheAmberFox/pseuds/JenTheAmberFox
Summary: What happens when the son of the Minister of Magic falls in love with a pureblood heir? When his mother became Minister of Magic Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly thrust into the spotlight. But life isn't easy as an american "mudblood" in Hogwarts these days. And when the papers get their hands on photos of an altercation between him and Henry Mountchristen life takes an unexpected turn for both of them.Will be updated every Friday.
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 17
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for everyone at the Fandom Playhouse and the Red, White and [RWRB discord server](https://discord.gg/DVqeKTtxqK) who helped me pull this off. Especially Vio, Darling and Echo. Thanks for your support. And a big shoutout to Lolo - my beta.

In the Great Hall of Hogwarts, tucked into a fold of a statue, there’s an inscription you can only see if you look at it from the right angle. In the secret history of Hogwarts there is no definite answer for who wrote it. Some think the Weasley Twins left it there. Some say it’s a lot older and the Marauders etched it into the stone. But it doesn’t matter. The writing is there to be found by those who need the words of advice. 

Alex discovered it within the first weeks of the beginning of his fifth year. He’s never told anyone. 

It says: Rule Number One: DON’T GET CAUGHT. 

Little did Alex know how important that rule would become to him in the following year. 

The Great Hall is buzzing with the voices of hundreds of students. But Alex doesn’t even recognize it - lost in thought again. He is contemplating which subjects he needs to focus his studies on during the upcoming winter break to reach his goal of becoming history's youngest diplomat at the Ministry of Magic. As his mothers seven year term as Minister of Magic isn’t up until after he graduates, he’s figuring that he already has a head start. But studying hard isn’t ever a waste in his opinion. No one needs to know how hard he’s kicking underwater every day to stay on track. He rakes a hand through his unruly brown curls. 

Growing up in America until his parents split, does and doesn’t help his case there. His dark Texican looks make him stand out. But speaking two languages fluently without magical aid is a bonus. Well, you win some, you lose some. His fingers go to the chain around his neck where he still wears the key to his childhood home, rubbing it absentmindedly through his shirt. 

“Hey”, says a voice beside him. He looks up from his musings and sees his sister June edging her way onto the bench beside him, the Daily Prophet tucked under her arm as well as The Modern Witch. Even though his sister and her best friend Nora are not in his house, he is a true Gryffindor after all, they always make a point of sitting together at breakfast. They are both in their sixth year and have been inseparable from the beginning. Probably because Nora’s dad was already in Ellen’s campaign team for Minister of Magic. They practically all lived together for a time there. 

“What have you got today?” Alex asks, pushing his already empty plate out of the way. 

“Assorted news and gossip,” June says. Following the stories on the trio is somewhat a hobby of Junes. 

“Doing your best to keep the industry alive long enough so you can get a job in it?” Alex asks, reaching for one of the worst gossip magazines - the The Magic Mirror. 

“That’s my plan, yes,” June answers.

“Anything good today?”

“Let’s see,” June says. Then she groans.

“What?”

“They let Mary Mountchristen have a go again,” she answers. She shows him the page which screams a nasty, racist headline at him. 

“Oh, what is it this time?” Alex asks intrigued. The old hag is always ranting about this and that lately. 

“How the fact that our mother was married to an American immigrant and then got divorced is lowering the standard the Minister of Magic has to represent for wizarding society. And how a pureblooded Minister would be so much better for everyone,” she concludes rapidly scanning the page. 

“Yadda yadda, nothing new there. She, as always, left out that mom remarried into one of the most prestigious wizarding families worldwide. But look at that: I just found out that you have hidden from me, that you are going out with an Auror. What do you have to say for yourself?” Alex chuckles and shows her a glaringly fake picture of her and the man in question.

“I am sure I would know about that,” Nora interjects from the other side of June. 

“The Daily Prophet is still very much convinced that you and me are an item,” Alex interjects. 

“Well, that’s probably due to their lack of imagination. And the fact that you two take every chance you get to fuel those rumors. Don’t think I don’t know about the bet you got going on who can cause the most outrageous new rumors between the two of you,” June chastises them. 

Alex high fives Nora. But for once he is glad that he has to hurry to his potions class now. Even if it’s with some Slytherin bigots. Others in the class are very much okay, though. But some of them can’t keep their racist bullshit to themselves - not that that’s restricted to one house, unfortunately. “Gotta go,” he shouts over his shoulder already halfway to the door. 

* * *

They reconvene for dinner. For once all of them are in a good mood.

“Today’s History of Magic Class with Professor Flint was quite enlightening. He somehow drifted off into telling us about the greatest sex scandals in Wizarding History,” Alex tells them excitedly. 

As he begins to recount the whole class to the with all names and dates June turns to Nora: “Chances of one of us stumbling over a sex scandal before Mom’s term runs out, Nora?” 

“Hm, I would say a ninety-four percent chance that Alex’s dick is going to get him in trouble within the next year,” she answers.

Alex laughs so hard he almost falls off the bench. But it did the trick of shutting him up nicely.    
“Try to keep it in your pants at the Yule Ball, yeah,” June adds after he has caught his breath. 

“Urgh, do I have to go to the Yule Ball?” Alex asks. 

“Yes, your sister is the Hogwarts Champion for the Triwiz Tournament. You have to show her your support,” Nora reminds him gently. “And we can fan those rumours about us some more. I know you love doing that.”

“It’s not my fault they won’t let those rumors go. I am after all quite nice to look at. Fine, I’ll go if you go as my fake date, Nora. Pretty please?”

“Yes, babe. As June is already taking someone else that can be arranged,” Nora smiles at them both.

“Wait. You are taking someone else?” Alex whips around staring at his sister with wide eyes. “Who?”

“Pez asked me and I accepted. I am quite sure I already told you that days ago,” she answers clearly amused.

“Pez? Nooo. You can’t. You know that where Pez goes Henry goes. They are practically joined at the hip at all times. You know we can’t stand each other. It’s going to be hell for me. Why can’t you go with Nora. I’ll just ask someone else?” Alex whines. 

“You know why I can’t go with Nora. It’s already hard enough to be the kid of the Minister of Magic. I am not ready to be under even more scrutiny. And I like Pez. He is a good guy. And you already asked Nora to be your date,” she explains gently. 

“But you don’t even like him that way, do you?”

June just shrugs, signaling that the topic is through for her. “Do you have your dress robes ready? Or do I have to help you?”

“Shit,” he groans. “I know I had that written down. But I got sidetracked.” 

“What, by conspiring with Nora against the tabloids for your bet?”

“No, with my analysis on the situation with pureblood supremacists in the US, smart-ass,” Alex says. “I’ve been working on it the whole week for Mom. The situation is getting worse there and in Britain.”

“And it is not possible that you willfully forgot about the biggest social event Hogwarts has seen in years because you don’t want to have to interact with your archnemesis?”

“June, I’m the son of the Minister of Magic. Henry Mountchristen is basically the perfect heir cardboard cut-out - and just as smart - of the most important conservative pureblooded family. He’s probably prince charmings evil twin. You can’t just call him my archnemesis. That would suggest he’s actually able to rival me in anything and not, you know, a stuck-up jerk, who thinks he is above everyone else.”

“Woof, quite the passionate declaration.”

“I’m just saying.”

“Well you don’t have to like him, you just have to put on a happy face and not cause a political incident at the Ball,” Nora says.

“And it would be better if you focused your thoughts on actually getting an outfit for the Yule Ball instead of thinking about how Henry is beneath you as first son of the wizarding nation,” June adds, somehow smiling knowingly at Nora while saying it. 

“I’m still not sure about my dress. What do you think. The lace or the teal one?” 

“Lace, obviously, as it’s always the classy choice. Now leave me alone, I have to finish my paper,” he says, gathering everything to hide in the Gryffindor Common Room. Or the Library. Whichever. 

“Don’t forget to get something to dress yourself in,” June yells after him while Nora laughs. Alex definitely doesn’t blush at that. He does not!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yule Ball meets Cakegate.

The Great Hall is absolutely buzzing with excitement. The Yule Ball is just around the corner and most pupils have been talking about nothing else for the last week. It’s now come to the point where Alex has started to reflexively zone out when anyone starts to chatter at him excitedly about the ball. He’s not interested in talking to anyone outside of their little group on the best of days. But this is really just too much. At least he can count on June and Nora to find distractions. 

“What’s up y’all,” he says, plopping down on a bench across from them while waving back at a girl he vaguely remembers snogging once in Hogsmeade. June makes a face before sliding an open newspaper over. Alex nearly chokes on the sip he has just taken out of his goblet. It’s a photo of Henry, Bea and Philip Mountchristen on the upper part of the page and one of them, June, Nora and Alex just underneath. The headline “Which is the better Hogwarts Trio?” splashed in scarlet letters across it. 

“I didn’t even know this was a competition,” Alex snorts incredulously. “Come on. This is ridiculous. Henry and Philip are boring fuckers, aren’t they?” 

“Well Philip has become a magazine favourite ever since he proposed so sickeningly sweet to Martha Dumont,” Nora interjects. Ever the fact-checker. 

“An arranged pureblood marriage. How romantic,” Alex snarks. 

“And Henry is perpetually interesting because he doesn’t date at all. That’s a riddle the gossipers would love to solve,” June adds. She looks slyly at Alex at that. “Maybe you should ask him to dance with you at the Yule Ball. You would make a fetching heiress.” 

Alex blushes and deflects quickly. “He wouldn’t know what to do with a firecracker like me. Anyway. Bea is much more my speed I would say. Those rumours about her are really interesting. The whole sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle with her band. She’s got guts to stick it to her Gran like that if you ask me.”

“Ah, now that you mentioned the Gran-Dragon. This one might interest you. Her newest rant was published this morning. You can now call it an agenda if you ask me. She’s also gathering followers for her ideas, as far as I can see. With the Daily Prophet printing it, it seems like someone there agrees with her,” June taps her finger at the article. 

Just from scanning it Alex can tell it’s some racist bullshit about pureblooded wizards being in danger of dying out and needing protection from immigrants and lesser magicians with diluted blood. It always comes down to the purity of bloodlines with those, doesn’t it?

“I actually thought we left that bullshit behind us with those “Make Magic Great Again” idiots back in America,” he groans. 

“I’m afraid the idea made its way across the ocean and that MMGA has found some allies here. Have you spoken to Mom lately?” June asks. 

“Yeah. She didn’t sound very worried about it. But I have been starting to collect evidence in my PBI Binder after you showed me the last article”, Alex replies. 

“PBI?”, Nora asks.

“Pureblooded-Bullshit-Ideas”, Alex explains, sounding very smug of himself. June and Nora roll their eyes fondly. 

“Nora, what are your predictions for the Yule Ball tonight?” June asks to change the topic back to lighter things. 

“I would say we have a one hundred percent chance of Henry and Pez looking like total dreamboats tonight,” she answers. Alex groans. Nora grins at him. “And a seventy-five percent chance of Alex doing something incredibly dumb to prove that he’s better than Henry in every way.”

* * *

  
Alex is fidgeting with his dress robes. Maybe the red, white and blue lining was a bit too daring after all? He already caught some really dirty looks from some of the school’s more narrow-minded population. Traditionalists - no fashion sense at all. 

Nora catches his hand when he adjusts it again. “You look good. Stop fidgeting. You are making me nervous.”

“Sorry. But you know I don’t do well standing around doing nothing. It drives me crazy.”

“Just a minute longer. June was almost done when she sent me ahead so you didn’t get into trouble,” Nora says fondly. 

“I have no idea what that’s about,” Alex answers, trying to look as innocent as possible and failing spectacularly. Nora just laughs at him. Then her gaze catches on June descending the stairs. Even as her brother Alex can acknowledge that she looks spectacular in her lace dress. But as fate wants it he doesn’t even have time to get a cheesy compliment in before he sees Pez rushing over. Henry trailing behind him. 

Alex has to admit grudgingly that at least one person was more daring in their outfit than him. Pez, Percy Okonjo, child of the highest-ranking diplomat of the Nigerian Magical Association currently stationed in London, looks spectacular in his traditional Nigerian wizard robes of blue, violet and lavender fabric. His hair is dyed with streaks of purple colour. Alex still hasn’t figured out how someone as intriguing and bizarre as Pez can be best friends with a stuck up dick like Henry. He’s not even sixteen and already famed for his insane adventures in Africa. No wonder he was the one to have the guts to ask his sister to the ball. To say it in June’s word: He looks like a total dreamboat. Good for June. 

Alex finally faces Henry. And nope, his breath doesn’t catch at the sight of him. Not at all. But he can’t help but take a closer look at him. Tonight he looks like an actual prince. His hair elegantly coiffed. His dark blue dress robes somehow make his eyes gleam in the low light. Is that a bit of coal he spots around them? Impossible. He must imagine that. There’s a slight flush high on his checks. He looks unfairly perfect. Alex wants to ruin him. 

* * *

  
If Alex is honest with himself, seeing the Great Hall decked out in all its festive glory doesn’t really get old. The staff outdid themselves. There is a buffet to the side held up by intricate ice statues that look much too delicate to carry the cornucopia of food laid out. 

The night is going fairly well in Alex's opinion. His sister actually looks happy to spin around the floor with Pez. And Alex is more than happy to dance with Nora. Until Henry cuts in to steal her away. Leaving him standing around like an idiot. Typically, Alex thinks bitterly. 

He leaves the dancefloor to sulk in a corner. He hasn’t even made it there before one of the older students presses a glass of “magically enhanced” punch into his hands. Alex sniffs it, shrugs and downs it in one go. The room goes pleasantly fuzzy around the edges. Just in time for the start of the set of “The Shrieking Sisterhood” - the band of Henry’s surprisingly cool older sister Bea. A cheer goes through the room and for some time Alex loses himself in the music. 

Unfortunately, Alex has to get some water at some point. So he resurfaces and makes his way over to the buffet tables. Still annoyed by the slight from earlier Alex realizes with glee that Henry is lurking there without company. Everyone else is enjoying themselves. Perfect. No witnesses of him poking Henry a bit. He follows his gaze. Ah, yes, he is watching Bea perform. 

“Your sister is a real wildfire, isn’t she. Sticking it to your family with going her own way,” Alex says conversationally. Henry just nods. It makes Alex itch for more of a reaction.

“I wouldn’t mind getting to know her better. Unlike you and Philip she doesn’t seem half as stuck up as you fucking supremacist Grindelwald wannabees,” Alex says. That gets Henry's attention. His head whips around. His eyes narrow.

“For the record. I am nothing like my brother. And I don't want you anywhere near my sister,” Henry growls. Which makes Alex pause for a second. That’s the most human reaction he has ever seen for the other. But his brain-to-mouth filter was never any good. So he pokes Henry some more.

“Aw, jealous?”

“No,” Henry says primly. Not acknowledging outwardly how his gut twists at the thought. 

“Oh, I am so sorry that I am more interested in your sister than you. Must be tough that I am not as obsessed with you as the rest of the wizarding world seems to be.”

“Do you know what? I think you are.” Henry says. “You are all blustering bravado. You are talking about trying it on with my sister - which is laughable because she would chew you up for breakfast - but instead of talking to her, you talk to me. You approached me. What does that tell us about you and me, I wonder?”

“What? No…” Alex starts to protest. But Henry has already turned away from him. And Alex can’t just let him have the last word like that. He can’t! He grabs Henry’s arm and pulls. Henry spins around easily and then stumbles into Alex, too surprised by the other boy to do anything but trip right over him. He tries to catch himself but only manages to unbalance Alex, too. In slow motion, they tumble into the nearest ice sculpture and the desserts held up by it. An avalanche of chocolate and caramel snowflakes pours over them as they hit the floor in a tangled heap of flailing limbs. Shards of crystalized ice are sticking to Henry's hair. One has cut his cheek which is beginning to bleed. 

For a second, all he can think as they stare at each other across the wreckage is that at least the memory of Henry dancing with Nora won’t be the one his mind will get stuck on in the months to come. Then he hears Herny mutter “Oh my fucking Christ.” 

He feels hilarity bubbling up in his throat as a camera flash rips them out of their little bubble of a tragic moment. Great. His mother is going to murder him. 

Then Nora, June and Pez are suddenly there and their heads of houses. Arguing already which of them is responsible for the mess. Alex has honestly never been more glad to hear the soothing lilt of Headmaster Luna’s voice cutting through them all. “Gentleman, Ladies, please clear the area and let me get this sorted. Get back to the party and enjoy yourselves. Those two gentlemen will be dealt with by me personally.” He offers Alex a hand up, then Henry and beckons them to follow. Alex holds his head up high as they are escorted out of the hall. He chances a glance at Henry, but the other can’t even look at him. Well fuck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come and yell at me at [The Fandom Playhouse](https://discord.gg/82pvdE39fD%22%3E) or the [RWRB discord server](https://discord.gg/DVqeKTtxqK).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, but Alex is a little shit in this one - poor Henry. Badass Bea knocks some sense into him.  
> I promise he will start to see the light in Chapter 4.

Alex got sent home for the Christmas holidays right from headmaster Luna's office. Upon waking the first morning back in London he thinks it might all just have been a very weird dream. Even though Henry’s muttered “Oh my fucking Merlin” kept echoing through his dreams all night, he has nearly convinced himself that the incident at the Yule Ball hasn’t really happened, when he sits down at the breakfast table.

Just when he’s reaching for the coffee Zahra throws a stack of newspapers and magazines down in front of him with a resounding slap. It pops the bubble of tentative hope so fast it makes Alex dizzy. 

„And those are just the ones I saw on the way over here“, she stresses and glares at him. His mother's communications secretary and closest friend is even frightening when she is having a good day. Which she is obviously not having today. 

Alex tentatively reaches for the first newspaper and groans. It looks even worse as an animated picture than he expected. The both of them sprawled on the floor, legs entangled, clothes askew. The cut on Henry’s cheek slowly oozing a drop of blood down his pale cheek. The both of them buried in chocolate and caramel and shards of ice. Them slowly turning their heads to glare at each other. He can’t even remember that happening. It’s all a blur. 

He chances a look at the headlines and groans again:

**_Sweet rivalry: Alex Claremont-Diaz and Henry Mountchristen come to blows at Hogwarts Yule Ball._ **

**_Ice princes(s): the scoop on the long-standing feud between Henry and Alex_ **

**_Cold fury: Mary Mountchristen reacts to Hogwarts incident_ **

„How did they get that picture. Hogwarts balls are supposed to be private affairs.” Alex mutters before turning a charming smile on Zahra. “Are you sure this is a real problem you should be dealing with? Aren’t there more important matters of the state today?“ 

His mother, the current Minister of Magic, has joined them by now and treats him to a glare over her reading glasses, quoting out loud from the paper in her hand: “Sources inside the Castle claim that Alexander Claremont-Diaz and Henry Mountchristen have been at odds ever since their first meeting at Minister Claremont’s inauguration party two years ago. Some say the violent interaction hundreds of shocked students had to witness at the Yule Ball was just the climax of a long-standing feud,“ she cites from the newspaper in front of her. 

„I would hardly call it a violent interaction…“, Alex trails off under the twin unimpressed stares of his mother and her closest employee. 

„Sugar, this is really bad. It looks even worse because Henry’s cheek is bleeding, even if it was just words you traded instead of actual blows. Those pureblood agenda idiots were already sniffing around for a weakness before and now you assaulted one of their “princes” basically…“ she sighs. 

Alex hangs his head in shame. So far the press attention had mostly been a fun game for June, Nora, and him. Now he just wishes they would leave all of them alone. 

„I am sorry“, he mumbles. 

„I know sugar. We will figure out how you can make nice with the Mountchristens again.“

„I don’t know if this will make it better or worse, but I will see Henry a lot after the holidays. Headmaster Luna gave us detention together“, Alex confesses.

„Good. We can work with that. And we also have a political event both your families are attending in a few months. Try to make nice with him until then“, Zahra suggests. 

„Whyyyy“, Alex whines, „Henry’s got the personality of a wet towel.“

„I don’t care, fake it til you make it”, Zahra answers him, making an ‘I’m watching you’ gesture. 

Ellen gets up and ruffles his hair. „Love you, dumbass. Just try not to fuck anything else up in the next weeks, yeah?“

They leave Alex to wallow in his self-pity, head buried in his hands, mind racing a mile a minute. Coming up with solutions for his problem and discarding them just as quickly. His head has started a list of ways to make it up to Henry, without his explicit permission. But he always gets stuck at one: Apologise to the idiot who's just as much responsible as I am. 

Then his mind jumps back to a replay of their conversation and everything begins anew. 

He is fluctuating between sad and mad so fast it makes his head spin. The whole situation is just fucked up and deeply unfair. Why is he supposed to apologize and not Henry, according to the press? Because he’s not white, not pureblood, not stupid wizard nobility? It’s so unfair. He bangs his head against the table in frustration. 

That’s how June and Nora find him. „I think it’s the perfect day for a pillow fort and hot chocolate“, June offers him a hand and he gratefully takes it, while Nora ruffles his hair. They’ve always been like this even before being dubbed the new Hogwarts Trio. Alex pushes them. June steadies them. Nora keeps them honest.

Much later they lie in front of the fire in their pillow fort, sluggish from all the cookies and chocolate.

“Why are your predictions always so scarily accurate, Nora? It’s like you are willing it into happening”, Alex whines. Nora just shrugs. “I just watch and calculate probabilities in my head. The actual decision is always yours.”

“Look, you’re the one who has to fight everything that moves,” June says. „So, I don’t really feel bad for you. And, Henry was totally fine when I danced with him. I don’t get why you hate him so much.” 

Nora sighs dreamily, “I think it’s amazing. Sworn enemies forced to make peace to settle tensions between their families. There is something poetic in that.” 

„Please let it be one of those poems where I can die the hero or kill my enemy“ Alec groans and buries his head in a pillow. 

„Oh come on you drama queen, you don’t even know anything much about him.“

„And you do?“ 

„Yeah, we pay attention to what the newspapers write beyond headlines - unlike you“, Nora snarks.

“Hey, I do read articles, just more of the political and less of the gossip kind. That’s what I got you for - to summarize the most important stuff for me.”

„Okay, let me think”, June steeples her fingers and puts her head on them. “His owl is named David and has two different coloured eyes I think. Quite unique.”

“Yeah, I already knew that one, because, like, who does that? Who names an owl David? I literally cannot think of a more boring name. He’s got the imagination of a cardboard cutout.“

Nora rolls her eyes. “Okay, let’s try some basic facts then. Mother: Catherine, oldest daughter of Mary Mountchristen - aka Gran-Dragon. Catherine used to teach at Hogwarts, too,” she rattles off. “Father: Arthur Fox, beloved Quidditch star is best known for his legendary save at the 2010 World Cup, deceased. Died at a game rather tragically, if I remember that correctly.”

“Damn, now I am even sadder than before your chocolate intervention. You make him seem all human and tragic. Stop that, y’all.”

So they stop. Silence falls over the room as each retreats into their own head. Alex does what he does best. He makes a list why it’s a good thing he now has detention with his archenemy for weeks to come. One, he hopefully decreases the tension between the purebloods and his mom. Two, keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. And three, it can’t be worse than what he survived with Zahra and his mother this morning, right?

* * *

  
Alex isn’t even surprised to realize just how wrong he is. Detention with Henry is worse. Headmaster Luna personally showed them to the stuffy room, they will be spending their detention time together in. It’s dusty, and stuffy, basically an attic room with books shoved into it up to the roof. The eclectic muggle book collection of some professor or another, Alex didn’t pay enough attention to the explanation, cause it’s just boring stuff like biographies and letter collections and poems. Alex can hardly keep himself from rolling his eyes at the headmaster when he explains their important work. Alex has his arms crossed, a frown stuck on his face. Henry and he are meant to sort through and bring order to the collection. Transfer it to the library later on bit by bit, dust everything off properly before. See which books aren’t salvageable at all. He could imagine better ways to spend his time, honestly. And Henry can’t even look at him when he tries to catch his eye. Even though he could swear that sometimes he feels his icy stare at the back of his skull. 

After an hour of silent work, Alex feels his mind begin to spiral. So he does what he does when there is this certain itch under his skin, he tries to distract himself. And the only one close enough to offer distraction is Henry. Who’s been giving him the silent treatment all night. “Doesn’t it ever get old to be above everyone else in the room for you?”, he asks Henry casually. Henry stiffens before turning around slowly. Now that he gets a good look at him, he realizes the boy looks thoroughly exhausted. How does one manage to look that exhausted on the first day after the holidays? That’s just ridiculous. 

He sighs a long-suffering sigh and deflects, “I am not sure what you mean?”

“You, and your brother come to think of it, always keep yourself separated from the rest of the school as if we are beneath you. It’s a wonder that no one has died of Professor Philip Mountchristens' palpable disdain for most students in his classes yet. And you are following in his footsteps like the good little boy you are. Being the perfect pureblood heir - aloof and unreachable”, Alex is breathing hard and up in his face by the end of his little speech. 

“Ah… I’m a bit more complicated than that I’m afraid”, Henry murmurs before turning back to his work. Clearly ending the conversation. 

But Alex isn’t done. “Really? Because from where I am standing it looks like you are a perfect little carbon copy of your brother. Your gran must be so proud.”

To Alex utter astonishment Henry freezes and whirls around again. His eyes have turned glassy. It looks like he is desperately trying to force the mask of indifference back into place. Because that’s what it is Alex realises with a start - a mask. Then, without another word, Henry hurries from the room, shoulders shaking slightly. It takes a moment for Alex to understand what just happened. He blew it again.

* * *

Later that night Alex sits staring into nothing, pondering his special talent to push people’s buttons when the door to the Gryffindor common room flies open.

He looks up and sees Bea, absolutely livid, pointing a finger at him. “You. With me. Now!”, she barks at him. When he doesn’t react immediately - dumbstruck as he is - she hauls him up by one arm and bodily drags him from the common room. Alex is a bit dizzy by the time she pushes him up against a wall. He distractedly notices the black painted nails bunching up his robes in a white-knuckled grip. Badass, that’s what Bea is, his mind supplies unhelpfully. 

He gulps and looks up. “What can I do for you, your highness?” he sasses. It’s a default reaction to stress. He can’t help it. 

“You have done more than enough for one day”, she hisses. 

“What did I do exactly?”, he asks carefully.

“Henry was a mess when I found him. I am so tired of picking up the pieces after you have a go at him again. This has to stop. My brother is dealing with enough shit as it is.”

“Oh? Do tell. To me, he always looks perfectly fine.”

“I can’t even say as much as I would like to. It’s not my place to tell you. Let me just say this: you don’t know shit about our family. You don’t know shit about the constant pressure that Gran and Philip put on him. He doesn’t need you shoveling more shit on top of the pile. I don’t know how much more he can take until he will break. I don’t think you will want that on your conscience, do you?” She levels him with an intense stare - equally desperate and forceful. Alex's mind races with the new information. Henry looked like shit today. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry for today”, he concedes. 

Bea nods in acknowledgment and says “I am not the one you should apologize to.”

Alex nods in acknowledgment. They stare at each other for a long moment, Bea’s nails still digging into Alex's chest.

“I actually don’t get it, to be frank with you. If you gave each other a chance, I am pretty sure you would get along swimmingly. But you are both such stubborn bastards.” She shakes her head sadly, finally releasing him. “I am keeping an eye on you. Don’t make me come after you again.”

“Yes, your highness”, he replies with a smirk, saluting. 

“You’re such a tosser”, Bea replies, but somewhat fondly. “Let’s get back. It’s freezing and I got a cozy armchair by the fire and a notebook waiting for me. Those songs don’t write themselves.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments, so please have mercy on me. 
> 
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**Author's Note:**

> Come and join **The Fandom Playhouse**. We are all mad [here](https://discord.gg/82pvdE39fD%22%3E)


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